Historically, says Jefferson Fire Chief Ron Wegner, his department had a waiting list four people deep. Now, the department is happy to have just one new volunteer sign on.
“In the last two years, we’ve only had one individual who was not a high school student apply and successfully complete the firefighter requirements set by the State of Wisconsin,” Wegner said.
The Jefferson Fire Department finds itself in a similar position to many small-town volunteer departments, as fewer and fewer recruits sign on for what essentially is a labor of love.
A combination of societal changes, workplace shifts and greatly increased training demands have slowed the numbers of volunteer firefighter recruits to a trickle in many small-town fire departments.